Dublin is a fun city to visit, and a must if you're heading to Ireland. We always enjoy visiting, meeting the locals and of course, sampling some of the good stuff! By which I mean Guinness of course. In today's post, we're going to share with you our idea of how to spend 2 days in Dublin. We're going to cover many of our favourite sights, which include some of the best … [Read more...]
3 Days in Vienna: The Perfect Vienna Itinerary
We think that three days in Vienna is the perfect amount of time for a visit. Three days will let you see the majority of the main sights in this beautiful city that you're interested in, plus add in a few of the less well-known attractions, without being too rushed. In this post, we're going to share with you our idea of the perfect itinerary for three days in Vienna. As … [Read more...]
2 Days in Paris: The Perfect Paris Itinerary
Paris is easily one of our favourite European cities, and one that we return to time and again. It has so much to offer, from beautiful views to world class museums to fabulous food. We’ve visited a number of times, both for short breaks like the 2 days in this Paris itinerary, as well as for more prolonged stays as part of a longer European itinerary. Speaking of a shorter … [Read more...]
3 Days in Rome: The Perfect Rome Itinerary
If you're planning on spending 3 days in Rome, we think this post will help you make the most of your trip. Rome is easily one of our favourite cities in Europe. It is absolutely stuffed full of sights, with thousands of years of history layered upon itself – you’ll find everything here from Roman ruins to Renaissance art. It’s also home to fantastic food, the Vatican City … [Read more...]
A 2 Day Vienna Itinerary
Jess and I have visited Vienna in Austria a number of times, and it's always a city that we are excited to visit. It’s a fantastic place for culture lovers, having played home to such icons as Mozart, Haydn, and Strauss. It was also the seat of the vast Habsburg empire, which for a time was one of the largest empires in the world. As you can imagine therefore, there’s quite … [Read more...]
3 Days in Barcelona: The Ultimate Barcelona Itinerary
Barcelona is one of Europe’s most popular cities for visitors, and one of our favourite cities too. There’s loads to see and do, from the incredible architecture of Anton GaudĂ, through to museums, UNESCO world heritage sites, markets, delicious tapas – and even a beach. As you might imagine, it is not hard to fill your time when visiting Barcelona, even with three full days … [Read more...]
Things to Do in Santa Fe New Mexico
Located about an hour’s drive north of (the much bigger!) Albuquerque, Santa Fe has long been known as a laid back place that is popular with artists as well as folks looking to explore the outdoors. We've visited a number of times, and have always found plenty of things to do in Santa Fe. These include visiting museums, eating, taking photos and generally exploring … [Read more...]
The Best Photography Spots in Barcelona
Barcelona is definitely one of my favourite European cities, and one I love to photograph. Today, as part of my series of photography location guides, I’m going to share with you some of the best photography spots in Barcelona to help you get the best photos when you visit. After that, I’ll share some general tips on visiting the city, everything from where to stay, when to … [Read more...]
2 Days In Edinburgh: The Perfect Edinburgh Itinerary
Edinburgh is one of our favourite cities in the UK, and was where we called home for almost four years. Based on our experiences living in the city, I wanted to share our tips and ideas for what to get up to with 2 days in Edinburgh. We think two days is a great amount of time to spend in Edinburgh – perhaps as a weekend break in Scotland. It's also a great addition to a … [Read more...]
The Best Restaurants in Albuquerque: From Diners to Fine Dining!
Jess used to live in Albuquerque and it's a city we have both visited many times, both for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and also for sightseeing around New Mexico in general. One thing we both love about Albuquerque and New Mexico is the food. New Mexican cuisine is an absolute delight, with a focus on the New Mexico chile plant, and we have eaten at some fantastic … [Read more...]
22 Things To Do In Albuquerque
Heading to New Mexico, and looking for things to do in Albuquerque? We've got you covered! Jess used to live in the city, and we've also visited on a number of occasions, both as part of our Route 66 road trip, and also for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As you're about to discover, there are a lot of things to do in Albuquerque, and most of it has nothing at … [Read more...]
Oyster Card vs Contactless: How to Pay for Public Transport in London
I recently wrote a post about the best ways to get around London. That’s all well and good, but it’s missing a key component – the most cost effective way to actually pay for transport in London. You’d think this would be a fairly obvious answer, but unfortunately it’s a little bit more complicated than you might imagine. Fear not though, this post will guide you through the … [Read more...]
13 Things to Do in Edmonton
Somehow, in all my wanders, I’d not made it to Canada. This was a particularly nagging omission in my mind, largely because I’m a passionate landscape photographer, and, well, Canada has some pretty epic landscapes. Thankfully, the nice folks at Explore Edmonton & Tourism Jasper thought to invite Jess and I over to have a little explore. We spent eight days in Canada in … [Read more...]
Edinburgh in August: A Guide to the August 2022 Edinburgh Festivals
If I asked you to name the festivals that Edinburgh is known for, I suspect you’d probably tell me all about the comedy-focused Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Which is a pretty great festival, with hundreds of venues popping up all over the city and serving up some of the world’s best comedy and drama, ranging from brand new acts to internationally recognised names. What you … [Read more...]
How to Get Around London: A Guide to Public Transport in London
So you’ve decided to visit London! Fantastic idea, it’s an excellent city, with enough activities to keep you busy for however long you choose to stay. Today though, I’m not going to give you advice on what to see in London. Instead, I’m going to share with you my advice for how to get around London. London is a city with an absolutely fantastic public transport network, but … [Read more...]
14 Unusual Things To Do In Edinburgh!
Edinburgh is definitely one of our favourite cities in the UK, and it's one where we lived for a number of years. There is a lot to do here, so much so that we’ve already penned a detailed post on how to spend two days in Edinburgh, as well as some of our favourite things to do in Edinburgh. But, as with any city, there’s a lot more to do than one blog post can cover, … [Read more...]
Mardi Gras 2023 in New Orleans – A Full Guide
If you've ever dreamed of experiencing Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you're in the right place. In today's post I'm going to share with you everything you need to know about visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras, based on our experiences of spending Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This guide includes tips on things you can do in New Orleans during Mardi Gras 2023, when Mardi Gras 2023 … [Read more...]
2 Days in London: The Perfect London Itinerary
In today’s post, I’m going to share with you everything that I would recommend to the first time visitor looking for a great two day London itinerary. This is not going to be a list of hidden gems, even though London has plenty of those. This is a list of all the places you’re going to want to visit on your first time to London – the iconic sights that you’ve seen in … [Read more...]
Things To Do In Baton Rouge
Today, I want to talk about things to do in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, and a city I personally knew very little about before we visited. I am, however, very happy that we did visit, as we ended up seeing and doing a great deal! Our visit to Baton Rouge was part of a longer road trip through the 'Deep South' of the USA. That trip had us discovering … [Read more...]
The Best Photography Locations in Paris
Paris is easily one of my favourite cities in the world, and by far one of the most photogenic. Today, as part of my series where I share some of my favourite photography locations from destinations around the world, I want to give you my tips for where to get the best photos in Paris. Let's get started. The Best Photography Locations in Paris 1. The Top Of … [Read more...]
2 Days in Florence and Tuscany
On multiple previous trips to Italy, I somehow failed to visit Florence. It turns out this was somewhat of an oversight, because, well, Florence is unbelievably pretty. Like, in your face, over the top, can’t quite believe it’s real pretty. Suffice to say, if you’re planning a trip to Italy, such as our 10 day Italy itinerary, make sure you include Florence in your plans. … [Read more...]
The Best Things to Do in Savannah Georgia
As part of our five week road trip through the Deep South (first stop Charleston), we headed down to Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia, to see what there was to do. This, it turns out, was quite a lot! From our explorations, we've put together this post, which will give you plenty of ideas for things to do in Savannah. We actually spent five full days in the Savannah … [Read more...]
What to Do in St. Petersburg, Russia: Everything You Need to See!
In 2015 we had the pleasure of taking a river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow with Gvidon Tours. You can read all about that experience, and my thoughts on cruising in Russia, in the post I wrote on the subject. As part of our trip, we got to spend a few days in both Moscow and St. Petersburg, both gorgeous cities. I have to say though, that St. Petersburg easily tops … [Read more...]
Things to do In Charleston SC on a Weekend Getaway
Charleston, South Carolina, is the perfect city for a short getaway. We think that 2 days in Charleston would give you enough time to see the majority of the highlights, sample some of the incredible food on offer and even take in some of the surrounding attractions. With this in mind, we've put together this guide to things to do in Charleston over 2 days. This itinerary … [Read more...]
Walking tours in Rome: How to See The Highlights of Rome
Rome. The Eternal City. A place so stuffed with history that they’ve had to layer it, like a cake, sandwiched atop itself. Everywhere you look, history piles upon history, from thousands of years ago to the present day, all jostling for space in the city, and time on your itinerary. It’s one of our favourite cities in Europe, and definitely one to add to your to-do list if … [Read more...]
The Best Photography Locations in London
As part of my on-going quest to find awesome photography locations around the world to share with you, I recently headed to London, a city I know and love, to see if I could put together a guide to the best photography locations in London. The bar has already been set high, with my guides to photographing Yosemite, capturing the Grand Canyon at sunrise and sunset and my 12 … [Read more...]
Walking Tours of New York: Disney, Liberty, Food and More!
I love to wander a city. Preferably, I’ll have my camera in hand, and there will be frequent stops to observe and capture moments, with the sights and sounds all washing over me. Whilst my blind wandering is very personally fulfilling, much of the “washing over” ends up being just that – I get a lot of photos, but tend not to learn very much. Add to this the fact that … [Read more...]
A Day Trip To Oxford: Things to Do in Oxford for a Day
I spent a good deal of my childhood in Oxford, and it has long been one of my favourite cities in the UK. As you can imagine, we've explored the city in great detail! In today's post, I want to help you plan your own day trip to Oxford, with a guide to all our favourite things to do in Oxford. Being so close to London, Oxford makes for a popular day trip from the English … [Read more...]
The Best Things to Do In Kensington London
One of my favourite things about London is how it’s basically a large collection of villages that have all grown together to become a big city. Taken as a city, it can seem overwhelming, but once you start to treat each area as it’s own place to visit, you’ll find it a lot more manageable. On a recent trip to London, our accommodation happened to be in the Earl’s Court part … [Read more...]
Things To Do In Cambria, CA + Where to Stay and Eat!
During our time living in California, we loved exploring the coastal communities. One of the towns we loved visiting was Cambria, where we found lots to do. From exploring rambling hilltop castles, to spying on Elephant Seals, to walking on sparkly, moonstone-filled beaches, you will definitely not run out of things to do in Cambria. And that’s before I even mention the food … [Read more...]
Things to Do in Redding California
Up in the northeastern part of California, around a 3.5 hour drive from San Francisco, is the city of Redding, found in the Shasta Cascade region. This part of California is excellent for lovers of the outdoors and landscape photographers like me, offering mountains, lakes, potentially live volcanoes and of course, hiking and photo opportunities galore. We were invited by … [Read more...]
A Walk Through Leuven
Today’s post is from Sofie, who writes at Wonderful Wanderings. You can read more about Sofie at the end of the post, in the meantime, take a walk with her through her current home town of Leuven in Belgium! While I’ve only been living in Leuven for about four years now, I’ve come to the city ever since I was little. First it was with my parents, then it was as a teenager, … [Read more...]
What to do in Oulu in Winter
Air guitar. We’ve all done it. Our favourite song comes on the radio and before we know it we’re strumming along with the best of them. My personal favourite is actually air drumming, but that’s a story for another day. Anyway, if I was going to ask you how air guitar and Oulu were connected, you might not know. I sure didn’t. Until I visited, and learnt that Oulu is the … [Read more...]
Visiting Walla Walla: Wineries, Art and a Hotel
A few weeks ago, if you’d asked me where Walla Walla was, I would probably have guessed somewhere in Australia. It just has that sound about it. Obviously I would have been entirely wrong. It turns out that Walla Walla is in Washington State in the US, about four hours inland from Seattle, and there’s not a kangaroo in sight. Why is this relevant? Well, we were recently … [Read more...]
Top 10 Things To Do In Santa Cruz, California
From San Francisco, an easy day trip is to pop across to the gorgeous town of Santa Cruz, famed for its boardwalk, laid back vibe and surfing opportunities galore. We've visited a number of times, and based on our experiences, have come up with a guide to all our favourite things to do in Santa Cruz. This guide to visiting Santa Cruz would serve well for visiting Santa Cruz … [Read more...]
1 Day in Tallinn: Itinerary Ideas
We almost didn’t get to spend a day in Tallinn. Waking at 5.00am on a January morning in Helsinki, we looked outside to see flurries of snow and temperatures well below freezing. A thirty minute walk in the dark to the ferry terminal didn’t seem like a hugely appealing activity, particularly as neither of us had slept particularly well the night before, and the thought of … [Read more...]
What to do in Rauma in Winter
Visiting a summer town in the dead of winter is a weird experience, and something we experiened when we visited Rauma in winter. To start with, I’m fairly sure we were the only people staying in the hotel. The town’s streets were oddly, almost eerily quiet, at any time of the day or night. The exception was after the local team played ice hockey, at which point it … [Read more...]
7 Things to Do In Dubai
Dubai. I’ve recently visited for the second time. The first time round, I spent a lot of time in a conference hall talking to the travel industry about travel blogging. My glimpses of the city were snatched from the air conditioned confines of taxis, and my impression was of a shiny land in the midst of a desert, offering a lot of style but not a great deal of … [Read more...]
13 Awesome Things To Do In Milan
Milano! That’s where we recently went, because it was… wait for it… Fashion week! Okay, so that’s not at all the reason we went. But although we were told that all through the year Milan is full of fashionable folk (I don’t doubt that – hey, it’s Italy!), we saw some pretty far out people. Actually, some of them might have been aliens. Am I still talking about fashion? So … [Read more...]
Things to do in Besalu Spain
BesalĂş is one of the most popular medieval villages in the Catalonia region of Spain. It's easy to reach from Girona or as a day trip from Barcelona, and we've visited a number of times. Based on our experiences, we wanted to share with you a guide to things to do in Besalu - beyond taking pictures of that iconic bridge! As well as a guide to what to do in Besalu, we're also … [Read more...]
A 1 Day Helsinki Itinerary
If you're visiting Finland, you should definitely set some time aside to visit Helsinki - even if just for one day. There's plenty to see and do during a day in Helsinki, from food to shopping and sight-seeing. I've visited on a number of occasions, both in summer and winter, and here’s what I recommend you do if you visit Helsinki for one day. 1 Day in Helsinki This … [Read more...]
Common Paris Scams – How To Recognise and Avoid Scams in Paris
Paris is one of our favourite cities to visit, but it does have a bit of a reputation as having a number of common scams. In this post, we're going to go through a number of common Paris scams so you can enjoy your time in the city, and not worry about falling prey to a scammer. With a bit of preparation and foreknowledge, you'll be well prepared to deal with the common … [Read more...]
What to Do in Poznan in Summer
Cities change throughout the seasons; that’s nothing new. And although travel guides always debate the “best time to visit”, in the end they often admit that each season has its own benefits, its celebrations, its food, its fashions. We fell in love with Poznan during our first visit last November, but we weren’t prepared to find the city so different from that when we returned … [Read more...]
Seven Summer Festivals in Poznan
In Europe, summer time is of course also festival time. There is – pardon my French – a crap load of festivals, and people will travel a long way to attend them. Some of these festivals have become a cult thing to go to, some have disappeared again despite having been popular, some are tiny and only known by word of mouth, some take over whole cities. Most of these … [Read more...]
Tidbits of Galway City!
The Irish city of Galway has many enchanting properties, and although I hardly spent a full day there, it was enough to make me decide that I’ll definitely be back one day; hopefully sooner than later. While I might not be able to list everything there is that you can see and do in Galway after my brief stint, I sure can share some of the reasons that might make you want … [Read more...]
1 Day in Athens: An Itinerary
Athens! When I landed, I have to admit to feeling a frisson of excitement. It was my first visit to the city which essentially sparked the beginning of the western world as we know it, and I couldn’t wait to get my eyes on some of the sights that I already felt I knew so well. As luck would have it, I arrived in the middle of the night and had an aisle seat, so my first … [Read more...]
What To Do In Rio de Janeiro
As a big fan of killing two birds with one stone (figuratively), I am always pleased when travelling to a location coincides with something else I had wanted to do. Like visiting a friend or relative who happens to live there, or attend a conference or a work-shop, or go to see a favourite band in concert. Sport events don’t feature highly on this list, and neither on Loz’s, … [Read more...]
Getting High In Quito
We did get very high in Ecuador’s capital Quíto, my oh my! 2,850 metres above the sea level. That makes Quito the second-highest capital in the world, right after La Paz in Bolivia (3,640m). But Bolivia cheated with the title, because they have several capitals (I see, how convenient!). There. Team Quito. The altitude If you were disappointed about me not keeping … [Read more...]
What to Do in Otavalo, Ecuador – A Detailed Travel Guide
Otavalo in Ecuador is a pretty little town, a couple of hours bus ride north of Quito. It’s largely famous for its market, which, to be honest, didn’t totally blow us away. It was very nice and all, but it wasn’t exactly a reason to visit this particular town over many others in Ecuador and South America which also have very nice markets. That said, we did end up … [Read more...]
The Best Bars in Poznan for Beer
Yes, it’s me again, the German lady who doesn’t like beer, and I am going to talk to you about… beer! No, I still don’t like beer, but I gained a whole lotta respect for beer culture, and I thought I’d spread the word. Okay, I’m saying that like I ever thought there was such a thing as beer culture, which I didn’t. In Germany, you mostly drink the regional beer, god forbid … [Read more...]
One Day in London – What to Do in London in A Day
Planning on spending just one day in London? Sure, it's not very long, but you'll be able to see a lot of London's highlights even in such a short space of time. In this post, we're going to help you plan your perfect day in London. We're going to take a look at some of our favourite sights in London, capital of the UK and a spot I was thrilled to call home for a couple of … [Read more...]
Things to Do In Dublin
Dublin is a fantastic city to visit - you're pretty much always guaranteed to have a good time when you visit the Irish capital! In our guide to things to do in Dublin, we're going to share with you some of our favourite sights and activities in the city, to you give you some inspiration for your visit. This post splits up Dublin's attractions into some of the must-do sights … [Read more...]
Things to do in Poznan, Poland
Ok, I have to admit that before the City of Poznan e-mailed me and asked if we were interested in coming to visit and seeing what there was to do in Poznan, I’d never heard of it. I’d also never visited Poland, but after doing a minimal amount of research, it seemed like the sort of place that we were likely to enjoy. The slight downer was that we were only able to squeeze a … [Read more...]
Four Essential English Cities To Visit
Ah England. The smell of freshly mown grass, the clink of ice cubes in a Pimm’s glass, the sight of those dreamy spires, the feel of water flowing past your punt. Yes indeed, it is a country that, for at least five days a year, has weather that makes it worth a visit. And the towns are good for visiting pretty much year round, if the rain is beating on the meadows and … [Read more...]
Discovering Oslo, Part II: inside
After Part I, which was all about discovering Oslo on a beautiful day out, now comes Part II, in which we find that Norway’s capital boasts so many fantastic museums and exhibitions that bad weather is absolutely no let-down. The only problem might be that you don’t even know where to start. But have no fear: we are not going to let you stand in the rain! Let us … [Read more...]
What To Do In Bergen, Norway
If you're heading to Norway, then a visit to the town of Bergen on the coast needs to be on your short list. And in this guide to what to do in Bergen, we're going to explain why. Bergen is home to a UNESCO listed old town center, stunning mountains, and a number of excellent cultural attractions. It's also in the heart of Norway's beautiful fjords, meaning there's a lot to … [Read more...]
Discovering Oslo, Part I: outside
When we arrived in Oslo, the weather forecast announced that we would have a sunny day and a rainy day during our stay in Norway’s capital. Ever the brilliant organisers we decided we would cleverly visit all the outside sights on the sunny day, and the inside sights on the rainy day. And even though we have had our fair share of the weather forecast being completely wrong … [Read more...]
A self-guided tour of Copenhagen
There are definitely more comfortable places to sit than on Hans Christian Andersen’s left knee. On top of that, instead of telling me a story out of the book that is resting on his right knee, he is staring over to the Tivoli, the famous theme park, completely ignoring me. Well, I can’t say that's good manners but I do understand why he is like that. Who even knows how … [Read more...]
Four Things Not to Miss In Ghent
Ghent is in Belgium. Which, other than chips, Audrey Hepburn, chocolate and a statue of a small boy peeing, isn’t exactly famous for anything. It’s almost famous for not being famous for anything in fact. Which is a bit of a shame really, because Belgium has a lot to offer, the small town of Ghent being one of these things. We visited recently as part of an adventure around … [Read more...]
Things to Do in Berlin
Berlin is a hell of city. I’ve had the privilege of visiting a number of times, and each time it has delighted and educated me in equal parts. Part of this is due to the amount of recent history, from the horrors of the second world war, through to the collapse of the wall. It’s also a hive of activity, with everything from tech start-ups to street artists on hand. You can … [Read more...]
What to do in Stockholm
Five minutes after our arrival in Stockholm Centraal, the main station, I realized that anyone who has ever asked me if I was from Sweden (instead of Germany), has really given me a huge compliment by likening me to these Nordic goddesses. Wow. There is an unusual amount of really tall, really slender, really blonde and really, really good-looking women walking around, and I … [Read more...]
Things to do in Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi. Even if you’ve not heard of the town, I’ll hazard a guess that you’ve heard of the bridge which is the town’s main attraction. Which is the one over the River Kwai. Yep, that one. Even though the original bridge, as built by both allied prisoners of war and conscripted locals, isn’t standing any more (the Allies blew it to pieces towards the end of the war), … [Read more...]
Exploring Thailand’s Gorgeous Trang Region
A bit of geography for you. Arguably Thailand’s most famous coastline is the Andaman. It’s the bit that you see in the postcards – impossibly pristine waters, beautiful long-tail boats, and those lumps of limestone that rise out of the sea like giant teeth. It’s home to islands, beaches, and people. Islands with names like Koh Lanta and Phuket, beaches like Railay, towns … [Read more...]
Why you might want to visit Nakhon Si Thammarat
Before I came to Thailand, if you had asked me to name any Thai city beginning with the word “Nakhon”, I would have been fairly stuck. I’m guessing that you might be a bit like me in this regard. If not, maximum points, well done. As it is, our adventures in Thailand have taken us to two cities starting with the word Nakhon. These were Nakhon Ratchasima … [Read more...]
What to Do in Ayutthaya
If I was going to ask you where the largest city in the world was in the year 1600, I wonder where you might suggest. London? Paris? Beijing? Cairo? I’m going to guess that the city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (or simply Ayutthaya), might not have made your shortlist. Well, in the year 1600, Ayutthaya was the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, the precursor to modern day … [Read more...]
A Day in Barcelona: The Perfect Itinerary
We've had the privilege of visiting Barcelona a number of times, and on each visit we see a whole host of wonderful sights. But what if you don’t have the luxury of multiple days in the city? What if you’re just passing through, and only have a day in Barcelona? Well, fear not. We think you can squeeze a lot of adventure and sightseeing into one day, from magic fountains to … [Read more...]
Tips for Visiting Europe in the Summer
Europe. It’s jam packed with incredible places to visit, and the cities are no exception to this rule. From the gondola clad waterways of Venice, to the Gaudi wackiness in Barcelona, to the romance that is Paris – there is truly something for everyone. The problem with this mass appeal is that the masses are appealed. And in the height of the summer months, these cities can … [Read more...]
A day trip from Barcelona: Girona and Figueres
When I was in Barcelona I was offered the opportunity by the nice folk at Barcelona Tourism and the Catalunya Bus Turistique to take a day trip. A whole variety of destinations were on offer, but I chose the tour that went to the pretty looking towns of Girona and Figueras. I mostly chose this tour because Figueras was the home of Dali, and is where the museum that he put … [Read more...]
In photos: Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
I found Barcelona to be a remarkably photogenic city. In fact, I’ve already shared some of my favourite photos of Gaudi’s Barcelona. Today I thought I’d highlight Barcelona’s Gothic quarter. This is a very windy, largely pedestrianized part of Barcelona’s city centre. The streets are narrow and looming, making for challenging photography conditions, and the whole place just … [Read more...]
How to get an awesome view of Barcelona – for free!
When I arrive in a new city, I have a bit of a thing for finding the highest point around. This is for two reasons: first, because I like a good view, and second, in an attempt to orientate myself. The orientation part only vaguely helped on my recent trip to Barcelona. The city is seriously maze like, particularly the old pedestriansed parts of the city centre. However, … [Read more...]
In Photos: Gaudi’s Barcelona
GaudĂ. It’s kind of hard to visit Barcelona without spending your time gaping in awe at the architectural and artistic genius that he left behind all over the city. A great deal of my week in Barcelona was therefore spent, gaping in awe, at his many truly incredible constructions. As well as gaping, I was also taking the odd photograph, which I’m sharing with you today. I … [Read more...]
Things I didn’t know about Barcelona!
I’ve just spent a week visiting Barcelona. I’d like to say that I did a whole bunch of research before setting off, but to be honest, I’m not that great at research. For example, I managed to get through an entire University degree without stepping inside a University library. Plus, I like a place to surprise me. I asked you guys for your tips, and you … [Read more...]
Angouleme–wanders around the ramparts
This is my third post on AngoulĂŞme! Who would have thought one French town could hold so much appeal? Admittedly, AngoulĂŞme cheated slightly, by seducing me with awesome street art. That’s a good way for any city to get my attention, and more than one post. See Berlin’s street art for example. So I have now thoroughly covered the paintings on the walls of Angouleme in this … [Read more...]
1 Day in Venice – The Perfect Itinerary
Venice is without doubt one of our favourite cities in Europe, and when we came to choose somewhere to hold a small wedding ceremony for our wedding, Venice was our pick. If you're visiting Venice for one day, as is often the way, you might be wondering what you should do. Well, in this post, I'm going to tell you everything you should do with one day in Venice. Venice is … [Read more...]
Perigueux: what have the Romans ever done for us?
If the title of this blog post makes little sense to you, then you should pause your whole life for a couple of hours and go watch Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Done that? Good. Perigueux is a town with a remarkably hard to spell name in the heart of France’s Dordogne. It is the administrative capital of the region, and has held the title of capital for some time, … [Read more...]
Face off: five European cities duel to the death
I was going to write a nice post about my five favourite cities in Europe, but then I figured that wasn’t quite as exciting as putting them to the test in a knockout and seeing which came up trumps. Naturally, this will be an entirely objective post, based solely on fact. Each round will feature two European cities, and I’ll work out which one I like … [Read more...]
What to Do in Paris
Ah, Paris. The city of love. A city that is a delight to visit at any time of year, be it for a sunny summers day stroll along the Seine or for a wander through the festively lit streets in Winter. Paris is a city that I’m deeply fond of in Europe. It vies with Rome for being the capital of romance (personally I’m with Paris on this one), and, like Rome, has much to offer … [Read more...]
Top 11 Things to Do in Rome
We've been lucky enough to visit Rome numerous times, and every time we visit we find more things to do in the eternal city. We've already written detailed itineraries for visiting Rome, including how to spend 3 days in Rome, 2 days in Rome and even just a day in Rome. In this post though, we're going to put together all our favourite things to do in Rome so you can pick … [Read more...]
Brantôme – France’s Venice?
In the northerly part of the Dordogne region of France, on the river Dromme, sits the town of BrantĂ´me. BrantĂ´me is often referred to as the Venice of France, and having visited, I can confirm that it isn’t that much like Venice, and really doesn’t need to sell itself as such to be a worthwhile place to visit. BrantĂ´me has charming backstreets, an ancient abbey, caves … [Read more...]
A day out in Luxembourg
Some quick Luxembourg facts for you. Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe, yet is counted as the third richest country in the world. It is the only Grand Duchy in the world, which from what I understand, means that it is ruled over by a Grand Duke. The most important Luxembourg fact though, is that the local beer is called Bofferding. This fact should tell … [Read more...]
Wanders through Wellington
Having babbled on at some length as to the virtues of Dunedin, it is now time to turn my attention to my other favourite Kiwi city - which also happens to be the countries capital – the city of Wellington. Wellington is tucked away on the southern tip of the North island, and most travellers will visit, even if only on their way to the ferry. It would be a shame to skip … [Read more...]
Whale Crazy Kaikoura
I should probably preface this post with a note that, title aside, I didn’t see any actual Whales in Kaikoura, despite quite a lot of frenzied staring out to sea. What I did see was a town that is somewhat obsessed by these creatures, and which shares it’s obsession with over a million visitors a year. Kaikoura is, it has to be said, in one of the most picturesque locations … [Read more...]
Dunedin in a day
I don’t normally write too much about the cities of New Zealand. This is partly because I’m mostly travelling this country for its epic scenery – which it has in bucketloads – and partly because, if I'm honest, New Zealand cities don’t normally do much for me. Don’t get me wrong. They certainly have their charms. Rotorua was interesting because it smelled like rotten eggs. … [Read more...]
Highlights of the Wairarapa
You know those friends of yours who come back from some “life changing” trip, and bore you to tears for ages on end with the joy of travel and how incredibly awesome the whole thing was, slide show and all? (Yes, I appreciate a travel blog is a very similar thing. Bear with me.) Well, there was a chap in New Zealand who went somewhat further than a mere slideshow … [Read more...]
Auckland’s volcanoes
Auckland, I have learnt, is a city built on no less than fifty volcanoes, not all of which are dormant. This means two things. One, that I could get blown into tiny lava covered pieces of myself at any moment, and two, that there is some excellent hilly walking to be done. We set off, therefore, with the aim of conquering at least one of these volcanic cones (they aren’t … [Read more...]